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Nagano Lantern Festival Coming February 7th to 12th, 2018!

January 25th, 2018

Zenkoji Temple looks particularly impressive when illuminated in red.

The 15th annual Nagano Lantern Festival will be held from Wednesday, February 7th to Monday the 12th, 2018. Beautifully crafted paper lanterns line the street to Zenkoji and the temple itself is bathed in the colors of the Olympic Games. Enjoy the festive atmosphere, musical performances, and some delicious (and free!) Japanese sake and snacks.

Delicately crafted paper lanterns line the street to Zenkoji.

The paper lanterns used during the festival are decorated by local artists, hobbyists and students from nearby schools. You’ll be dazzled by the creativity and talent of the paper artworks, and you may even see some of your favorite characters like Totoro, Pikachu, or Arukuma. The themes for this year’s lanterns are Future and Peace. You can even craft your own mini lanterns during the festival at the entrance to Zenkoji Temple (1,000 yen to make, supplies limited).

Take a tour during the festival period and experience traditional martial arts, games, and crafts.

For those who will be in Hakuba during the festival, Hakuba Sanroku Tours is offering a special day tour to the festival and Nagano’s samurai town of Matsushiro. Participants will enjoy traditional Japanese games, crafts, and martial arts lessons before enjoying free time around Nagano City for the lantern festival and dinner. See the flyer below for more information.